In general, charged-particle beam drawing apparatuses such as a drawing apparatus, an inspection equipment, an electron microscope, an exposure equipment, using a charged-particle beam (for example, an electron beam) are equipped with a friction-drive moving mechanism for moving a stage, due to an restricted environment of vacuum, magnetic field, etc. The friction-drive moving mechanism moves the stage by friction-driving a rod connected to the stage by a motor attached to the outer surface of a vacuum chamber.
Especially, a charged-particle beam drawing apparatus that requires high resolution is usually equipped with the friction-drive moving mechanism for stage movement. In the charged-particle beam drawing apparatus, the friction-drive moving mechanism moves a stage having a sample such as a mask (reticle) or a blank placed thereon. A charged-particle beam is then defected and emitted onto a specific position of the sample on the stage to draw a pattern on the sample. A laser interferometer is used for detecting the location of the stage. The laser interferometer is attached to the outer surface of a vacuum chamber.
However, in the charged-particle beam drawing apparatus described above, vibration is generated while a motor is driving. The generated vibration is then transferred, via the vacuum chamber, to the laser interferometer located on the outer surface of the vacuum chamber. The laser interferometer measures the stage location. Therefore, if the laser interferometer vibrates due to motor driving, its measurement accuracy reduces, which results in deterioration in apparatus accuracy such as drawing accuracy and inspection accuracy.